Bill DoylePublished: February 14, 2022 Be honest: how many packets of hot sauce, soy sauce, ketchup and the like do you have in a drawer? Probably a ton. For the hot sauce, now there’s something to do with the packets after you use them. Taco Bell is launching a pilot program in Mercer County to recycle used sauce packets. In partnership with TerraCycle, select Taco Bell locations, alongside several community spaces, all located throughout Mercer County are helping to divert used hot sauce packets away from landfills. With 8.2 billion Taco Bell hot sauce packets used each year in the U.S., this pilot program aims to give packets a spicier new life as a new recycled product. The packets don’t just have to be from Taco Bell, either. Now through Earth Day (April 22), participating Taco Bell locations will be accepting empty sauce packets regardless of brand or type. Once collected, the waste will be sent to TerraCycle, where it will be cleaned and melted into hard plastic and remolded into new recycled products “This recycling initiative empowers local Taco Bell® locations and community spaces to promote sustainable initiatives in their own towns while encouraging residents to take an active role in helping to preserve the environment,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “Our aim is to provide an opportunity for entire communities like Trenton to collect waste and be part of the solution to keep these packets out of landfills and the environment.” To search for the nearest participating location in Mercer County to recycle sauce packets, click here. Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only. You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now: